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The world is about to see a total lunar eclipse, or blood moon, for the last time in years. There won’t be another chance to see the celestial event until 2025. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is directly between the Moon and the Sun, hiding the two from each other. It means that the light has to travel through the Earth’s atmosphere on the way to the Moon, which makes it red as it does. The event will start around 3am. eastern time and will culminate in a total eclipse about three hours later, before ending another three hours after that. It will be visible across eastern Asia, Australia, the Pacific and North America. Lunar eclipses usually occur every year and a half. But the schedule this time means there won’t be another chance to see a blood moon for longer than that: the next one will appear on March 14, 2025. Show latest update 1667893217
Hello and welcome…
… on The Independent’s live coverage of the last total lunar eclipse until 2025. Andrew Griffin8 November 2022 07:40 1667893829
what’s happening today
A total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth casts its shadow completely over a full moon, blocking all direct sunlight from reflecting off the lunar sphere and reducing the moon’s color to a reddish hue, hence the term “blood moon” . This is only possible when the orbits of the Earth, Moon, and Sun align so that the moon is directly behind the Earth relative to the sun. Otherwise, the moon passes above or below Earth’s shadow because its orbit around Earth is usually tilted relative to Earth’s orbit around the sun. Reuters8 November 2022 07:50 1667893846
Why is it red?
The reddish appearance of the lunar surface – the moon does not completely disappear from view – is caused by sunlight rays around the outer edge of the eclipse shadow, or umbra, being filtered and refracted as they pass through Earth’s atmosphere, bathing the moon indirectly in a faint copper glow. The degree of redness depends on atmospheric conditions that vary with levels of air pollution, dust storms, smoke from wildfires and even volcanic ash. Reuters8 November 2022 07:50 1667893858
How rare is a “blood moon”?
Total lunar eclipses occur, on average, about once every six months, according to NASA. But space varies. Tuesday’s event will mark the second blood moon this year, following one in mid-May. The next one isn’t due until March 14, 2025. Reuters8 November 2022 07:50 1667893897
Where is the total lunar eclipse visible?
Tuesday’s eclipse will be visible across eastern Asia, Australia, the Pacific and North America. Sky watchers in Asia and Australia will see it with their evening moonrise, while the spectacle will play out for observers in North America in the early morning hours before moonset. It will be visible to the naked eye wherever the sky is clear in these areas. Reuters 8 November 2022 07:51 1667894012
When can you see the blood moon?
The total eclipse will unfold over a period of nearly six hours, as the moon gradually enters Earth’s paler, outer shadow, its “penumbra,” then enters Earth’s darker, inner shadow, or “umbrella,” before reaching in totality and finally emerge. from the other side. On the West Coast of the United States, the entire display will run from 1:01 AM. PST until just before 6 a.m., with the total eclipse phase lasting about 90 minutes, peaking at 3 a.m. Andrew Griffin8 November 2022 07:53 1667894132
Why is this the “beaver” blood moon?
Tuesday’s event will coincide with the “Beaver moon,” a moniker for the November full moon adopted by the Old Farmer’s Almanac supposedly from the Algonquian languages once spoken by Native Americans in New England territory. When combined with the effects of a total lunar eclipse, it is popularly referred to as a “Beaver Blood Moon” in the United States. Andrew Griffin8 November 2022 07:55 1667896619
The eclipse is starting – but there’s still some time until it peaks
The eclipse technically started about half an hour ago. But there are more than two hours until it really peaks. (This happens at 3 a.m. Pacific time, on the west coast where the eclipse is most likely to be seen.) Andrew Griffin8 November 2022 08:36 1667896714
Live streaming of the eclipse
If you’re not in the right place to see the eclipse – or something else is preventing you, like the weather or your reluctance to get out of bed – then you can watch it from home. Here’s a live stream, starting in half an hour. Andrew Griffin8 November 2022 08:38 1667902565
The total lunar eclipse has begun!
The Moon, Sun and Earth have now lined up so that there will be a total lunar eclipse. If you are in the right place, then looking at the Moon you should have a full view now. It will take about an hour and a half. Andrew Griffin8 November 2022 10:16
